seymour



R. C. SEYMOUR.

PRlNTiNG PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16.1915.

Patented June 3, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

llVI/EA/TUR WI T/VESSES R. c. SEYMOUR.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 16.19l5.

Patented June 3, 1919.

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3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

WITNESSES f Kw R m v M N INTO IVEV R. (3. SEYMUUR.

PRINTING PRESS.

APPLICATION FILED ,ULY 16.1915.

Patented June 3, 1919.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

A T OR/VEV RALPH C. SEYMOUR, 0F LARCHMQNT, NEW YGBK, ASSKGNOE E0 GOSSPRINTING PRESS COMPANY, A CORPORATION 015 ELLINQTS.

PRINTING-PRE$S.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patentetil June 3 191%.

Application filed July 16, 1915. Serial No. 40,2 52.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that T, RALPH C. SEYMOUR, a citizen of the United States,residing at Larchmont, in the county of Westchester and State of NewYork, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPrinting-Presses, of which the following is a specification.

The invention relates to folding and printing machines and incertainaspects thereof more especially to rotary folding and printing machinesfor producing a large variety of sizes of printed and folded productsfrom sheets of relatively numerous and various sizes.

The objects and advantages of the invention will in part be set forthhereinafter and in part will be obvious herefrom, such objects andadvantages being attained by the means and instrumentalities set forthin the appended claims.

The invention consists in the novel parts,

constructions, arrangements, combination and improvements herein shownand described.

v The accompanying drawings, referred to herein and constituting a parthereof illustrate one embodiment of the invention, and together with thedescription serve to explain the principles thereof.

Of the drawings:

Figure 1 is a view, partly diagrammatic of a machine constructed inaccordance with the principles of the invention and showing the machineprinting upon sheets which are afterward folded;

Fig. 2 is a view generally similar to Fig. 1 but shows the machineprinting on a web, the web being thereafter cut and folded;

Fig. 3 is a view on an enlarged scale of the left-hand end of Fig. 1,showing the machine folding sheets of relatively large size; and

Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig. 3 but showing the machine foldingsheets of relatively small size.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of exampleone embodiment of the invention, means are provided tively to a givenspeed of the printing means to get products of different sizes when themachine is printing upon cut sheets. By such changes in the relativespeed of the web I of the cutters and of the printing mechanism, a muchgreater variety of sizes of product may be secured than could be securedby mere adjtistn'ient of the mecha nisin, and the desirable results mayalso be efiected of running the folding mechanism at full capacity withany size product turned out.

In accordance with many features of the invention, and as exemplified inthe drawings, the invention is embodied in a rotary machine fed from aweb roll. A web roll 1 is shown and in connection therewith a variablefeed. As embodied, the web roll 1 rests upon feeding rolls 2 and 3which-are of variable speed thereby giving the desired changes in thelineal speed or feeding of the web. In accordance with one feature ofthe invention, it is contemplated to provide a full speed and a halfspeed of the web with respect to the speed of the printing cylinders,and also variations in the speed of the web from such full speed andsuch half speed. Suitable devices for effecting this may be applied tothe web roll, feed rollers 2 and 3, such as changeable gears to give thefull speed and half speed, and a Variable drive, such as cone pulleys ora variable disk drive or other suitable means for the lesser variationsin the feeding s eed of the web. Thus the web may be fed ofi at fullspeed, or slightly slower than full speed or at half speed or somewhatslower or faster.. than half speed.

Suitable guiding and feeding rolls for the web are provided such asrolls 10, 11 and 12 and 13 and 1% which direct the web into the cuttingdevices located ahead of or in front of the printing cylinders. Certainof the directing and feeding rolls for the web, such as the rolls 11 and14c may have adjustable spring tension in a well-known manner.

' The invention in some of its aspects includes cutting devices variablein their frequency of cutting with respect to the rotations or frequencyof printing of the printing mechanism, and operating to cut the web withvarious changes as indicated in the speed thereof. Tn accordance withcertain features of the invention, the foregoing are embodied andapplied to rotary cutters.

In the embodied form, cooperating 'cutters are shown on each side of theweb, one cutting mechanism being mounted on shaft 18, from whiclrextendradially shear blade holders l9 and 20 carrying respectively removableshear blades 21 and On the opposite side of the web path is a rotatableshaft 23 having diametrically disposed shear blade holders 2% and 25likewise carrying respectively removable shear blades 26 and 27.

Suitable driving or rotating means for the cutting mechanism areprovided, and for the purpose of giving or securing a change in timingof the cuttersrelatively to the web, the blade holders may be angularlyadjustable relatively to the shafts 18 and 23, or the shafts 18 and 23may be angularly adjustable relatively to their driving gears. Thecutters may be run at the same speed as the printing cylinders or. athalf their speed by suitable means, such as changeable gears.

Suitable means areprovided for receiving and forwardly the sheets fromthe cutting mechanism and delivering them to the printing mechanism. Inthe embodied form, one or more sets of timing rollers or disks 30 and 31are provided, having cut out portions 32 and 33 respectively for timingand effecting the release of the sheets whereby they will be properlytaken by the grippers of the press. The rollers or disks 30 and 31 Inabe angularly adjustable for timingthe different sheets, and as stated aplurality of sets of these rollers may be utilized. The feed rolls l3and the timing rollers 30, 31 have the same surface speed as the web,and they may have gear connections to the web feeding rolls 2 and 3 forthis purpose, so that their speed may vary with that'of the web.Preferably the rolls 2, 3, 13, 30 and 31 are the same in size. Suitableguide bars or other auxiliary devices may be employed for directing andforwarding the sheets, but are not shown in the drawings.

The embodied form of printing means comprises a rotar perfecting press.The ylinder 40 being t e first form cylinder, the inking devicestherefor being indicated generally by reference numeral 41. Thecooperating impression cylinder 42 is provided with two sets of grippers43 and a4, each set of grippers being adapted to take a sheet upon eachrevolution of the cylinder and to hold it while being imprinted by theform cylinder 40 and then to deliver the sheetto the second printingcouple.

The second printing couple comprises a form cylinder 45 having inkingmechanism indicated generally as 46. The second impression cylinder 47hastwo sets of grippers 48 and 49 respectively, spaced asemi-circumference apart. Said sets of grippers a8 and +9 are adapted totake each a sheet from the grippers 43 and 44 of cylinder 42 upon eachrotation of the cylinder 47, and to hold the sheets while being printedupon by the form cylinder -15, the sheet thereby being printed upon itssecond side or perfected, the perfected sheets then being delivered tothe folding mechanism. Referring more fully to the operation of themechanism already described;

The web may be fed at the speed of the press cylinders, the cutters insuch case using one pair of knives, and cutting twice for eachrevolution of the printing cylinders. The grippers "l3 and 4.4. on theprinting cylinder take successive sheets. If the speed of the web belessened with the printing cylinders and the. sheet cutter continuing atthe same speed, two sheets will be delivered to the grippers 43 and 44,but they will be shorter than when the web was running at full speed,and will be proportionately shorter as the speed of the web is lessened.Such slowing down of the Web may be considerable without interferingwith the successful cutting of the web, and the sheets fed to the presswill be correspondingly shortened. The timing devices will be arrangedto insure the proper and timely delivery of the sheet irrespective ofits change in size. When the cutters are run at half the surface speedof the press cylinders, they are equipped with two pairs of cutters andare thus running within practicable limits to the speed of the web andyet are able to deliver a sheet each time to each gripper t3 and at onthe printing cylinder. The web may be run somewhat faster than halfspeed and thus will deliver sheets somewhat longer than half the fullsheet length owing to the web.running faster than the cutters. The webspeed may beslackened and thus gradually lessen the length'of the sheet,out therefrom and delivered to the press. When the web is running at thesame speed with the slow running cutters the sheet delivered ispractically half the length of the full sheet. The web may be furtherslowed down below the speed of the slow running cutters and the length.of the sheets correspondingly shortened. The speed and position oradjustment of the timing disks will be accordingly regulated, so thatnotwithstanding variations in the le h of the sheets, they will beproperly dehvered to the grippers. Thus the length of sheet fed to thepress may he graduated by small and numerous '120 decrements orincrements between the longest size which the. im ression cylinder willtake and a sheet considerably shorter than half size, and at the sametime a sheet of any of these various and numerous sizes isdelivered eachtime to each sheet taking grip-- per 43 and of the impression cylinder.Thus the one mechanism is capable of printing all the various sizes.

Folding means are provided adapted to fold the various sized printedsheets delivered from the press, and in accordance with certain featuresof the invention such folding mechanism is adapted to fold the printedsheets a plurality of times in succession. In accordance with certainfeatures of the invention, the folding means of the kind described arealso rotary. The folding mechanism is adapted to take the printed sheetsfromthe impression cylinder 47, and in the embodied form said sheets aretaken by a folding cylinder 50, either a solid cylinder or a series ofdisks, or of other suitable form. The Cylinder 50 is provided with a setof grippers 51 adapted to take the lead end of the sheet from thegrippers 48 and 49 of impression cylinder 47. The folding cylinder 50 ispreferably half the size of the impression cylinder 47 and rotates twoto one with respect thereto. The cylinder 50, in. accordance withcertain features of the invention is also a collecting cylinder. in suchcase grippers 51 are adapted to take one sheet from cylinder at and thenanother sheet on top the first one, the two sheets being folded offtogether. Any suitable form of operating and timing means for grippers51 may be used, various devices for this purpose being well-known.

The folding cylinder 50 or other like carrier, is provided with afolding blade of any suitable or approved construction and manner ofoperation, the said folding blade 53 being angularly adjustable aboutthe shaft 52 of cylinder 50 to bring the folding blade 53 in position tomake a middle fold in all the different sizes of sheets held by thegripper 51. For this purpose the folding blade 53 is mounted uponarms'54, conveniently carried at either end of the'cylindr-r 50,-the arms 54being mounted upon the;

shaft 52 of the cylinder 50 and being angularly adjustable relativelytosaid shaft and being held in adjusted position by suitable means, suchas clamping screws 55. The cylinder 50 may be cut awa as shown at 56 topermit the angular ad ustment of the folding blade 53 and to providesuitable means, where necessary, for operating the folding blade in Icase a movable folding blade be used.

The embodied form of means for cooperating with the folding blade 53 tofold the sheet upon the cylindes. 0 and to receive the folded offsheets, comprises a cylinder, or like carrier 60, mounted on a shaft631. Said cylinder 60 is provided with a folding jaw 0r jaws 62 ofsuitable or approved cons. action for coiiperating with the foldhigblade 53 to nip or fold the middle of the sheet or sheets upon thecylinder 50 and to carry provided so far as concerns most features ofthe invention. The folding blade 53 and cooperating folding jaws 62 willbe timed to fold every sheet or every two sheets 05 from the cylinder50.

The cylinder 60 is angularly adjustable upon the shaft 61 to bring thefolding jaw or jaws 62 into operative relation with the folding blade53, when the folding blade is angularly moved to fold sheets ofdifferent sizes delivered to the cylinder 50 from the impressioncylinder 47. So far as concerns many features. of the invention, theentire cylinder 60 need not be angularly adjustable, but a supportingportion for the gripper jaws 52 might be adjustable by itself.

The cylinder or like member 60, in the present embodiment, is providedwith a folding blade 63 carried upon arms 64 at either end of thecylinder 60, said arms being adjustable upon the shaft 61 of thecylinder 60. The folding blade 63 is adjustable so as to give a fold ortuck medially to the sheet held by its fold by the gripper 62 to efiectthe second fold in the sheet in cooperation with suitable folding jaws.The cylinder 60 is cut away at 65 to permit the angular positioning ofthe blade 63, and suitable means, such as clamping screws 66 areprovided for holding the arms 64 in position upon the shaft 61. Thefolding jaws 67, which cooperate with the blade 63 are carried upon acylinder 68 or like member, the folding operation being substantiallythe same as that already described, as when the second fold is made inthe sheet, the folding jaws 62 release the first folded edge, the.releasing mechanism not being shown but same may be of any known andsuitable form.

Means for giving one additional fold are shown in the embodied form, andmay be generally similar. to those already described and need not befurther described in detail. The angularly adjustable folding blade 69is in the same relation to the gripping jaws 67 as the folding blade 53is to the folding jaw 62 and may be variously positioned to mediallyfold the folded shape as held by the folding jaws 67. Folding jaws 70are carried upon a cylinder or like member 71, this cylinder 71 actsalso as a delivery cylinder, the jaws '70 releasing'the product to areceiving belt orca-ble 72, the stripper 73 being used, if desired, toinsure the delivery of the folded sheet onto the table 72.

The manner of operation of the mechanism just describedis substantiallyas follows The sheet taken by the gripper 43 on cylinder 42, or thattaken by the gripper 44: as may be. is carried through the firstimpression between cylinders 40 and 42 and is thendelivered to eitherthe grippers 48 or 49 upon the cylinder a7 and carried through thesecond impression between that cylinder and form cylinder 45. Theperfected sheets are then delivered, either singly or successively intwos, by the grippers d8 or -19 to the grippers 51 on cylinder 50, thesheet thus being transferred to cylinder 50. The folding blade 53 andfolding jaws 62 make the first fold in the sheet, which is at the sametime released by the grippers 51 and carried away, held upon cylinder bythe folding jaws 62. Folding blade 63 and folding jaws 67 make thesecond fold in the sheet, and simultaneously the gripping jaws 62release the first folded edge, the sheet then being carried around uponthe cylinder 68, held by the fold in aws 70 make another fold in thesheet, which is simultaneously released by the folding jaw 67 Thefolding jaws 70 carry the sheet around cylinder 71 and the sheet is thenreleased and deposited upon the delivery device 72.

Means are provided by the invention for running the web through theprinting machine uncut, when desired, and cutting and folding subsequentto the perfecting of the web. In this way a full length sheet is runthrough the machine, that is, a sheet of the full length of thesemi-circumference of the printing cylinders.

F or this purpose, there is provided at a point in the machinesubsequent to the printing cylinders 40 and i2 and and l? cuttingdevices and S1. Said cutting devices are provided with cutting blades 82and 83. The perfected web is led thereto from the last printing couplee7 over guide rollers 8%, 85 and 86, with suitable tension rollers, suchas the roller 87. Below the cutting mechanism 80 and 81 are arrangedfeeding and timing rolls 88 and 89, which direct the out sheets into apathway formed by suitable means, such as two series of inclined guidebars 90 and 91, which direct the sheets into the gripper 51 upon thecylinder 50, the folding taking place as before. t

In doing high class work, such as maga zine and fine pamphlet work, whenperfecting the .web, offset devices are employed in connection with thesecond printing couple to prevent blurring, smearing or other impairmentor defacement of the fresh impression made on one side of the sheet bythe first printing couple. In the embodied form of such means, an offsetWeb 92 is run from a supply reel 93 around impression cylinder 47,between said cylinder and the fresh printed web, said ofi'set web beingrewound upon a roll 94. Means are provided for preventing the offsetsheets from soiling the surface of the cylinder 47, and for this purposean oil wiping mechanism 95 is provided operating upon the surface of theim pression cylinder 47.

When running the web, if desired, the

forms may extend completely around the form cylinders, and the sheetsmay be full half length of the impression cylinder and the grippers maybe retracted and a filler piece used in a well known manner. Thus thevery largest size sheets may be run and cut off after the printing onboth sides.

rom all the foregoing it will be understood that a machine has beenprovided embodying the principles of the invention and realizing theobjects and advantages ,set forth, together with other objects and advantages.

The invention in its broader aspects is not limited to the illustratedand described form, but changes may be made therein without departingfrom the principles of the invention and without sacrificing its chiefadvantages.

1 claim- 1. A printing machine including in combination printingcylinders, paper supplying means comprising a variable size sheetsupplying mechanism for feeding to said cylinders and means for cuttinga web after it has been printed by said cylinders, and folding meansadapted to receive sheets direct from the printing cylinders or fromsaid means for cutting the printed web.

' 2. A printing machine including in combination printing cylinders,paper supplying means comprising a sheet supplying mechanism for feedingto said cylinders and means for cutting a web after it has been printedby said cylinders, and folding means adapted to receive sheets directfrom the printing cylinders or from said means for cutting the printingweb.

A printing machine including in combination two web cutting mechanisms,one for cutting the unprinted web and the other for cutting the printedweb, printing cylinders interposed therebetween and folding meansadapted to receive the sheets either directly or indirectly from theprinting cylinders.

i; A printing press including in combination two web cutting mechanisms,printing cylinders interposed therebetween and adapted to receive theweb from one cutting mechanism or to deliver it to the other, and

folding means adapted to receive the sheets the printing from thecutting meens the n 0 ews 6., printing press inehiding ceinb ticnprinting ineens eeepted te i int Linen sheets of ciifferent sizes ernpen e i i/eh sit-en netively epeirehie sheet pi'eciucing meehe nisinscomnrising means for e of various sizes and suppiying in to the printingmechanism 1 1 means cutting the Web inte sheets site; it has p by theprinting ineciiei: sm ens ing means edjustehie 1 eii t'ne vsrieus sizedsheets end tehin the printed sheets either directiy from e paintingineeheni or from the setting 1 the printed. VVQiOc 7. A printing pressincluding in eem'binstien i'etei'y piinting adapted to print upon sheetssf different sizes on upon Web, alternatively operebie sheet producingmechanisms comprising means for cutting sheets of Various sizessupplying" thein te the printing mechanism and nee-ens fer eutting theWeb inte sheets after 1b nes been printed by the printing neehenisin andretsi'y folding ineans adjustable fer all the verieus sizes of sheetstaking the printed sheets either directiy vein the printing sin. or li-em the cutting means for ted Web,

printing press adap ed to print upen vein. ed sheets er ripen Wei}including in combination variable speed Web feeding means, printingmeans having slienceebie -"t hing zievlees means fee supplying length orlength vs-lying from either, and. fielding inesns adapted to centrallyfold the p nted sheets of all difiei'ent sizes.

9. 'inting ineehine including in comisinetien a rotary printing; eoupie,variabie spee eb feeing means, all size cutters sup A sheets theretofreni sai5- Web, fixeci size e tei's cutting a printed Web coiningWitnesses Jenn D. Moeesn LOUISA Lens-1n.

tees sheets 0i fuii iength rein said web,

